Microsoft forcing users to update to Windows Phone 7.5

Mango doing the Fandango

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Microsoft has moved to push all users onto the latest version of Windows Phone in order to 'focus its resources'.

Those phones running Windows Phone 7 (not the update, known as Mango or Windows Phone 7.5) will no longer be able to access, update or review apps until they finally bite the bullet and upgrade to the new version.

It seems a pretty reasonable request, seeing as Microsoft has made sure that any phone bought on WP7 can be updated – plus we've seen no word of the update ruining any phone at all.

The only downside is the fact the update will take rather a long time – if you've not performed it yet, best settle down with a cup of tea and a good book before you start.

Zune to be gone

In addition to the lockdown on older models, Microsoft has decided to jettison the ability to download apps through its desktop Zune software.

It's made the move, according to the official blog, because "as a general rule, [Microsoft likes] to focus our engineering efforts where they matter most", meaning it wants to pour more resources into its web-based Marketplace.

Users who consistently eschew downloading apps on their mobile will be pleased to know they can still push them from the web through this portal – and Microsoft is at pains to state you can still download music from the desktop app and update your phone there too.

Are you a Windows Phone user that's avoided the update so far? Are you just against change or is it something bigger than that? Let us know in the comments below.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Phones and Tablets Editor

Gareth (Twitter, Google+) has been part of the mobile phone industry from the era of the brick to the tiny device in the pocket... and now watching them grow back up to behemothic proportions once more. He's spent five years dissecting all the top phones in the world as TechRadar's Phones and Tablets Editor, and still can't resist answering the dreaded question - "which new phone should I get?" - with 15 choices.